BOARD OF
SKAMANIA COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Meeting
for Week of January
30, 2007
A special meeting was held on Monday, January
29, 2007 beginning at 1:15
p.m. and ending at 2:45 p.m., with Commissioners Paul Pearce, Chair, James D. Richardson and Jamie Tolfree present for the purpose of participating in a staff
workshop to discuss the legislative agenda.
No action taken as a result of the workshop.
The meeting was called to order at 10:05 a.m. Tuesday, January
30, 2007 at the Commissioner’s
Meeting Room, 240 NW Vancouver Avenue in Stevenson, with Commissioners Paul Pearce, Chair, James D. Richardson and Jamie Tolfree present, opening with the Pledge of Allegiance.
Commissioner Pearce gave an update on options for use of
the old jail space in the Sheriff’s Office building for the expansion of
District Court.
Commissioner
Richardson moved, seconded by Commissioner Tolfree and motion carried
unanimously to approve the Consent Agenda as follows:
1. Minutes for week of January 23, 2007.
2. Certification of 2007 Road
Levy & Estimated Revenue Produced.
3. Agreement with National
Association of Counties to provide a Prescription Drug Card Discount Program
for County residents.
4. Contract with Clean World
Maintenance, Inc to provide custodial services for Courthouse building.
5. Contract renewal with
Skamania County Fair Board to provide services for 2007 Skamania County Fair
and Timber Carnival.
6. Contract renewal with
Associated Counselors, Inc to provide mental health treatment and crisis
services.
Richard Robinson, Public Works Project Engineer reported on Public
Works, Road Department, Solid Waste, Building Department, engineering,
surveying/right of way, bridges, and equipment and rental revolving fund.
Commissioner Tolfree moved, seconded by Commissioner Richardson and
motion carried unanimously to approve a 2.5% wage adjustment to the 2007 salary
schedule for non-bargaining employees, effective January 1, 2007.
Linda
Schneider, Director of Washington Gorge Action Programs (WGAP), gave an update
on programs and services provided by WGAP; advised of a new branch office in
Stevenson located at 25 Second Street, staffed by Jan Pearo, open on Wednesdays
and Fridays from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.; and presented a summary of Skamania
County Ten-Year Homeless Housing Plan.
The
meeting recessed at 10:45 a.m. Tuesday, January
30, 2007 and reconvened at 11:00 a.m. the same date, with Commissioners Pearce,
Richardson and Tolfree present.
Commissioner Richardson moved, seconded by Commissioner Tolfree and
motion carried unanimously to approve 13th month vouchers for the
period ending December 31, 2006 in the total amount of
$248,006.90.
Commissioner Richardson moved, seconded by Commissioner Tolfree and
motion carried unanimously to approve vouchers for the period ending January 30, 2007 in the total amount of
$69,772.19.
The
meeting recessed at 11:15 a.m. Tuesday, January
30, 2007 and reconvened at 1:30 p.m. the same date, with Commissioners Pearce,
Richardson and Tolfree present.
A public hearing was held to consider Resolution 2007-01 amending the
Public Participation Program (PPP) for Comprehensive Plan
updates and development regulation changes related to the 2006-2008 Critical
Areas Update. Karen Witherspoon, Planning and Community Development Director gave a
staff report and advised that Skamania County is required to review and update,
if necessary, its Comprehensive Plan and development regulations to be
consistent and in continued compliance with the Growth Management Act only for
Critical Areas. She advised of a
three-year extension to the deadline for completion granted by the Legislature,
and of the need to amend the PPP to
allow additional time necessary for the County to complete the Comprehensive Plan updates
and development regulation changes related to the 2006-2008 Critical Areas
Update. Comments from the public
included a request to consider the Critical Areas update simultaneously or
prior to the Swift Subarea Plan and support for amending the PPP. Commissioner Richardson moved, seconded by
Commissioner Tolfree and motion carried unanimously to approve Resolution
2007-01 as presented.
The meeting recessed at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, January 30, 2007 and reconvened at 2:30 p.m.
the same date, with Commissioners Pearce, Richardson and Tolfree present.
A
public hearing was held, continued from December
21, 2006, to consider Ordinance 2006-15 adopting new Chapter 6.12 to Skamania
County Code entitled Right To Farm to promote and protect agriculture and farm
forestry and its dependent rural communities; and to recognize and encourage
subsistence farming on all parcels of land within Skamania County. Commissioner Tolfree moved, seconded by
Commissioner Richardson and motion carried unanimously to acknowledge receipt
of letters from Frank Backus, Chief Forester for SDS Lumber Company, Lynn
Bergeron, Bruce Bolme, and Sally Newell.
Karen Witherspoon, Planning and Community Development Director gave a
staff report and advised of text changes from the December 21, 2006 hearing.
Comments from the public included support for and opposition of the
ordinance, and a request from Frank Backus to include a definition of forest
land in Section 6.12.030, add a new paragraph to Section 6.12.040 Policy on
Agricultural Nuisances to include forestry, and add a new paragraph to Section
6.12.050 Recommended Practices to include forest use. The hearing was closed to public
comment. Commissioner Richardson moved,
seconded by Commissioner Tolfree and motion carried unanimously to insert
language submitted by Frank Backus, accept RCW citations submitted from Mary
Repar, and continue the hearing to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, February 27, 2007.
Commissioner
Tolfree moved, seconded by Commissioner Richardson and motion carried
unanimously to authorize the Chair to sign a letter to Nancy Ryke, Mt. Adams
District Ranger regarding possible removal of the wireless broadband antenna
from the Forest Service’ telephone building at the Wind River site.
The
Board advised they would be attending the Washington State Association of
Counties Legislative Rally in Olympia the remainder of the week.
The
meeting adjourned at 3:00 p.m. Thursday, January
30, 2007.
BOARD OF
COMMISSIONERS
SKAMANIA
COUNTY, WASHINGTON